"The World's Best Bowler vs The World's Best Batsman."
The banter game has started ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament. With the IPL 2019 around the corner, friendly reminders have been creating a buzz on social media.
Indian and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli replies back to the jibe of Jasprit Bumrah.
This came after a video claim by the bowler that he was targeting the big wicket of his captain.
Meanwhile, the former Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni responds to the challenge of Rishabh Pant.
Pant had earlier said that he intends to come after the bowlers of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team led by MS Dhoni.
Star Sports India, the official broadcasters and the IPL have shared a series of video on their twitter pages to reflect these banters.
Let’s take a closer look at the responsive banters amongst the four Indian players.
Virat Kohli vs Jasprit Bumrah
Fans will get to witness Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli face medium pacer Jasprit Bumrah from Mumbai Indians.
On February 24, 2109, the twitter account of IPL put out a video of Bumrah expressing his desire to get the prize wicket of Kohli, the world’s best batsman.
Along with uploading the video, they tweeted:
“The World’s Best Bowler vs The World’s Best Batsman. Who will come out winning?”
The World's Best Bowler vs The World's Best Batsman. Who will come out winning? @mipaltan's @Jaspritbumrah93 or @RCBTweets's @imVkohli – Bring it on ?? #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/wFVN9cgptD
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 24, 2019
After receiving praises from Virat for his performances in Australia, Jasprit expresses in the video:
“World ka best bowler? Nahi yaar. Abhi toh world ke best batsman ke dande udana baaki he. Aa raha hu Cheeku bhaiya aur iss baar, aap meri team mein bhi nahin rahenge.
“(World’s best bowler? Not yet. I still have to dismiss the best batsman in the world. Cheeky bhaiya (Kohli), I am coming, and this time you are not even in my team).”
However in a new advertisement put up by Star Sports India on Twitter, Kohli replies to the Mumbai Indians bowler telling that he will not be so lenient on him.
The video posted on February 27, 2019, has a caption to it, which reads:
“It’s #GameOn in the VIVO @IPL and we are in for a treat when @imVkohli & @Jaspritbumrah93 face off!
“Watch it all LIVE, March 23 onwards on Star Sports.”
???? – how did you react to the King's response? ?
It's #GameOn in the VIVO @IPL and we are in for a treat when @imVkohli & @Jaspritbumrah93 face off! Watch it all LIVE, March 23 onwards on Star Sports. #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/pJsjjMHGai
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 27, 2019
In the video, Virat can be heard saying: “Cheeku Bhaiya? Apne captain ko sledge karega (You will sledge your captain)?”
Then as he has a smile, with a plate filled with salad, he reveals: “Chal, aakhir seekh hi gaya tu (Nice, you have finally learned).”
Later after taking a carrot from his plate, the Indian skipper adds:
“Bas Cheeku bhaiya se, koi udhaari expect mat karna (Do not expect any favours from Cheeku bhaiya)”
MS Dhoni vs Rishabh Pant
Spectators inside the stadium and worldwide television audiences will also get to see a good tussle between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni and Delhi Capitals Rishabh Pant.
Dhoni gave the perfect response to the challenge of Pant.
It all began on February 24, 2019, when the IPL Twitter account posted a video, along with a caption reading:
“The fun banter is on ???@RishabPant777 from @DelhiCapitals is going one up against @ChennaiIPL Captain @msdhoni – What will be Thala’s reply? Watch this space for more”
The fun banter is on ???
@RishabPant777 from @DelhiCapitals is going one up against @ChennaiIPL Captain @msdhoni – What will be Thala's reply? Watch this space for more ?? #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/aI2fO5bl4x— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 24, 2019
In the video, Rishabh claims that despite Dhoni being his idol, he will demonstrate his batting to him and attack CSK bowlers on the cricket pitch.
The fellow wicket-keeper batsman said:
“Mahi bhai na guru ke samaan hain. Agar Mahi bhai nahi hote na, pata nahi mai wicketkeeper-batsman hota, nahi hota.
“(Mahi bhai is like an idol. If he wasn’t there, I don’t know if I would have been a wicketkeeper batsman or not.)
“Lekin is baari unki team pe main aisa barsoonga ki captain cool, cool nahi rahenge. Mahi bhai tayyar rehna, game dikhane aa raha hoon.
“(But this time I would go after his team and ‘Captain Cool’ wouldn’t remain as such. Mahi bhai, get ready, I’m coming to show my game).”
On February 27, 2019, skipper of defending champions CSK, brought this matter to an end with a fitting response via a video shared by Star Sports India.
In the video tweet Star Sports India wrote:
“.@msdhonifinishes off in style – always! What did you make of Captain Cool’s response?”
“Can @RishabPant777’s game grab the headlines in the VIVO @IPL?
“All the answers from the #VIVOIPLwill come to you LIVE from March 23, only on Star Sports.”
.@msdhoni finishes off in style – always! ??
What did you make of Captain Cool's response? Can @RishabPant777's game grab the headlines in the VIVO @IPL?
All the answers from the #VIVOIPL will come to you LIVE from March 23, only on Star Sports. pic.twitter.com/A9LdaXT1S1
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 27, 2019
The Ranchi born cricketer said he was looking forward to the performance of Pant. But he also gave a pleasant reminder that he will be waiting behind the wickets for him.
In the promo, Dhoni mentions:
“Jab main maidan pe utra tha, toh aise hi sochta tha…aaja Rishabh, wicket ke peeche toh main hi rahunga. Game dikha, name bana
“(When I took the field, I used to think the same. Come Rishabh, it will be me behind the stumps. Show your game, take the plaudits).”
Despite all the fun banter, on and off the pitch, all four players are good friends. Having said that, this banter can always turn in competitive rivalry amongst the different players.
The IPL takes place in India from March 23 to May 19, 2019.